Patty Mills Signed With Australia’s Melbourne Tigers

Patty Mills is indeed headed back to Australia. For a while, anyway. He’s signed a deal with the Melbourne Tigers, reports the Herald Sun: “Melbourne Tigers have taken advantage of the NBA lockout to lure Boomers star Patty Mills home. Mills, who plays for the Portland Trailblazers, is available to the NBL club for the 2011/12 season because of the player lockout, which threatens to cancel the NBA season. The speedy guard turned down lucrative offers from a number of European teams in favour of some time down under. Basketball Australia chief executive Larry Sengstock said it was a coup for the NBL. ‘Patty Mills is an NBA player in the prime of his career, and one of Australia’s best basketballers,’ said Sengstock. ‘For fans to be able to watch a player of Mills’ ilk at the peak of their powers is a rare opportunity.’ It’s believed the 23-year-old’s contract contains a clause that will allow him to return to the United States should the lockout end before the end of the NBL season.”